Hello My Name Is: Zoro

Name: Zoro
Crew: Copenhagen Oldstars
City/country: Copenhagen, Denmark

When did you start writing: I started writing in the early 80’s when I saw ”Style Wars” for the first time. I saw late it in the evening in the tv together with my dad. Everybody else in the house were sleeping. After that we both drawed sketches for a couple of hours before going to sleep – I still have the very first sketch from that evening – it says ”fresh” –after that I couldn´t stop sketching!

What is graffiti for you: Graffiti for me is freedom. It doesn´t really matter if I do it alone or with good friends – it just gives me a break from everyday life, and it kind of recharges my ”batteries”. I love seeing the colors and the letters taking shape and when the piece is all done it gives my a feeling of pure joy and happiness – and I can stand there looking at it for a long time.

Influences: I can’t really say what influences me. I think I just paint what I like, and I am almost all the time trying to do something different than the last piece – and also trying to do the letters in another style and with different colors – but still I think you can also recognize my pieces and my style.

My city and graffiti here: I live in Copenhagen – the capitol of Denmark. Life here is really nice and still very relaxed – I think – even though it’s the biggest city in Denmark. I think that graffiti in Copenhagen right now is mostly on the trains. There is really a lot of youngsters getting up on the trains, and almost all trains at the moment are bombed. Most of the train pieces are done in a hurry, but there are also a lot of really good stuff driving around the city. There are still a lot of oldschool guys from the 80’s doing trains and I have a lot of respect for these guys – you can see it’s not the first time they are in the yards!

What keeps me still writing: I had a break from graffiti from around 1991 – 2013 (I was in the military, got 4 kids, own company and a wife in that period) In 2013 I got in contact with one of my old friends from back in the days, and he got me started again – thx a lot for that! Now I’m just hooked again, and can’t – or won’t stop again!

What trends do i see in the graffiti world that I don’t like: I have always seen graffiti as an individual thing where you can paint what you like or where you like – right now I think – or feel – that too many writers have meanings about other writers and their stuff, and if it’s real graffiti or not. Too many writers think that real graffiti is train graffiti – and maybe they are right – I don’t know..! I just think that everybody can paint what they like and where..!

My style: If I have to descripe my style I would say it’s old-school. I like it kind of simply with recognizable letters and colors. I like when you can recognize a writers piece from a distance.

My first piece: I can still remember the first piece I did with spray-cans. I was in an old train track area in Amager where no trains had been running for many years – The piece said ”Uprock” it was around 1984. – I don’t have a photo of it unfortunately.

Who do I paint for: Very basicly I can say that I paint for my own amusement. But on the other hand I also like when other people see my pieces around the city – and like them! If it’s other writers or just normal people liking my stuff really doesn’t really matter – but of course I like when my kids and wife like it.

What writers have inspired me: I have to say Bates and Sabe – both from Copenhagen – that’s it.

Instagram: @Zoro_One